[1st draft] Bora's near-death experience caused a brief separation from Gemma, but to live in peace, he must end the Seven Shadows.
Bora Hawk, the polar wolf, has an unexplained target on his back. His enemies want him dead, caged, or becoming the...
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We should address the wolf in the room. His behavior did a three sixty toward asshole of the year. This was his pre-existence personality? It is night and day, almost hard to believe, knowing him for so long. This one takes life with a heavy heart. It was refreshing to see him lower his guard for some fun.
I wonder how Celestial views him. “I know you’re not him.” The road’s air filled the cabin silence as I counted the yellow lines passing by.
“Colden.” He speaks a different name. For a second there, it creeped me out as I turned to him. I studied his body to make sure it was my mate’s face and limbs. Of course it’s him. Does this mean he’s possessed? The jitters through my spine that urges me to fall to my knees and pray. On the bright side, it’s not a demon. Just a wandering soul that was called upon. Still sounds like a demon, though.
More jitters. “That’s a nice name. Suitable.”
“I was expecting Celeste.” With a deep sigh of disappointment. “It seems she is angry with me. Won’t even come out to say hi.” His voice was brutal.
“Have you considered that I may not be easily possessed?”
“You’re human, no doubt you are.”
“Hmph.” I turned my head. “It’s weird sitting next to the love of my life, but I have no feelings for you. Must be my vivid imagination, and I never developed feelings for you.”
“I am the new and approved version of me. You don’t like it?”
“Hardly.”
“You should. He is the weak version.”
I hastened my gaze at him. “He was far from weak.” I guttural through my teeth.
“You’re a human who saved him several times and blames yourself for when you fall short. Weak. Almost taken by the poison that inherently flows through his veins. I blame you for coddling him. Pathetic.”
“He needed me in his lowest moments and vice versa.”
“It is mind-boggling that in the future, I accepted a human and ignored all the laws of nature because you mirror my soul. Where did I go wrong?”
“You? Technically, I am not your mate.”
He snatched my chin and brought me to him. “Oh, but you are. I am him, and he is me.” He lowered his tone and whispered, “So my need for you is the same. But only if you want it.” He gave me a few follow gazes, and he let me go.
I swallowed hard with a torpedo sparking through my body as I clenched my knees. He is naughtier than before. I bit my pinky nail, sinking into my seat like he sent a little girl home to stay out of grown folks’ business. I paused to collect my thoughts and reflect. Ancient spirits possessed us from our previous lives. There is a high possibility that it wasn’t my emotions, but Celeste is showing up for him. It was powerful. Yet she is playing by hiding. Am I a puppet waiting to be taken over? This puts things in a different perspective.
“So you’re not responding, huh?” He slid his hands in between my thighs. I felt a sensation as his sudden touch grazed my rose petals, but I didn’t move. Excitement flooded me like I lost control. Then he crept upward until a splurge of heat warmed his hand. “Tell me I’m not him.”
I blacked. “How dare you,” and slapped him.
“Welcome back, Celeste.” He fixes his jaw.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I missed your rebellious side.”
“As soon as I calm down, I’m gone. I don’t know why you summoned me. You blamed me for everything. It’s only karma that you fell in love with a human. I’m just enjoying the ride.”
“Not karma, fate. Our souls will choose each other no matter what shape it takes. The attachment to her is the same as you.”
“So you’re going to admit that what I did was right, and as much as it breaks my heart, I never meant to cause him harm.”
His eyes lowered, and the guilt settled in my gut. I didn’t mean to put our son in harm’s way. There was this mortal child soiled in mud as though he had been in the woods for days. He reminded me of my son. So I took him home. Colden was against it. He warned that if the humans find out, they will hunt us. But I saw the good in them so I took a chance. The next day, I found the closest village as possible to return to him. But in return, they assumed I was trying to hurt the human boy and came after us.
Monster, they are trying to kill our child, they said, devastated at their reaction when I was making peace. He alerted me. However, I dismissed it, and it had the consequence of me losing a son. I don’t know how, but they found where we laid. We fell apart, and at the end of our days; we hated each other. How life plays its games. And here we meet again in the future. It is still hard to admit we are here, but why?
“Have you seen her?” He opened the sun visor mirror. I took a glance. “Wow. I have my eyes and everything.”
“Gorgeous, but a little younger than what I remembered.”
“Yes, she is.” I looked at him. “And you are too.”
“Why do you think someone has brought us back?”
Tucking my neck to speak under my breath, “Perhaps to settle our differences.” I spoke a little louder, “but there is nothing to settle. We reached a truce and proceeded on our separate paths. I made my peace with it. Now you should.”
“Still a beautiful fool.”
His words pained my chest. “No, you are!” I snatched the wheel, losing control as he prevented us from crashing. I have no patience for his backhand statements. That human may tolerate it, but I have a short fuse. We hit some hard in the road and blew out a tire as he came to a complete spot surrounded by road dust.
“Was that necessary?”
“You would have lived.”
Some boy from the back trailer stumbles out, losing his balance like a drunk coming to the passenger side. A lot of them came out ready for a battle. “Are yall okay? What the hell was that?” This thing who has stolen my blood relative's face speaks to me.
I pulled him by the ear, “Who are you, and why do you wear my brother's face?”
“What the hell! I am him!”
“The potion has taken over them fully.” A man who looks like Colden.
“Who are you?”
“Let us properly introduce ourselves, I am Bora's mother, Malinda.” She then introduced everyone else and got us up to par with everything that has transpired for the worse. But still little understanding as to why we are here.
“So we were brought back on purpose? For what?”
“A very good question.” A woman from the off-road sandy air approached us. A witch. What business do I have with this wench?
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